Bentley on Brecht: Songs and Poems of Bertolt Brecht

Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956) was an important German poet and playwright in the second quarter of the 20th century. This recording of selected poems and songs is performed by theater critic, singer, and teacher Eric Bentley, who is considered to be a preeminent expert on Brecht. Eighteen of the 19 selections in this recording were translated and adapted by Bentley, who also plays piano and harmonium. Of interest are the performances of two songs from “The Threepenny Opera”, perhaps Brecht’s best known musical: “Mack the Knife” (the last three stanzas only) and “Ballad of Sexual Submissiveness”, sometimes known as the “Ballad of Sexual Dependency”.

The liner notes include texts and musical notation.

Track Listing

101	About Poor B.B.	Eric Bentley	03:19
102	Ballad of the Dead Soldier	Eric Bentley	05:24
103	Memory of Marie	Eric Bentley	03:34
104	Doomed Generations	Eric Bentley	01:10
105	A Visit to the Exiled Poets	Eric Bentley	02:43
106	Easter Sunday, 1935	Eric Bentley	01:37
107	The Ballad of Marie Sanders	Eric Bentley	02:31
108	To the Little Radio	Eric Bentley	01:59
109	To My Countrymen	Eric Bentley	02:32
201	Hymn of the Great Baal and Orge's Hymn	Eric Bentley	04:16
202	A Man's a Man	Eric Bentley	03:09
203	Mack the Knife	Eric Bentley	01:57
204	Ballad of Sexual Submissiveness	Eric Bentley	02:36
205	Supply and Demand	Eric Bentley	04:12
206	That's How It Should Be	Eric Bentley	01:41
207	Song of a German Mother	Eric Bentley	02:52
208	Song of Mother Courage	Eric Bentley	02:22
209	Ballad of the Wise Woman and the Soldier	Eric Bentley	04:56
210	Keiner Oder Alle!	Eric Bentley	03:12